Alex Timbers (book) and the Civilians' Michael Friedman (music and lyrics) created the emo rock show that began previews March 23 in the Newman Theater and opened to a flurry of positive reviews April 6. A co-production with Center Theatre Group, in association with Les Freres Corbusier, the engagement was originally scheduled to conclude April 25.
Timbers directs the latest incarnation of the work that premiered at the Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles in 2008 and was later staged in a developmental run as Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson: The Concert Version for the 2009 Public LAB.
Benjamin Walker leads the cast as seventh U.S. President Andrew Jackson, with River Aguirre as Lyncoya, James Barry as Male Soloist, Michael Crane as Clay/Blackhawk, Michael Dunn as Calhoun, Greg Hildreth as Red Eagle, Jeff Hiller as John Quincy Adams, Lucas Near-Verbrugghe as Martin Van Buren, Maria Elena Ramirez as Rachel, Kate Cullen Roberts as Elizabeth, Ben Steinfeld as Monroe, Colleen Werthmann as The Storyteller and Emily Young as Female Soloist.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is billed this way: "A brash, hilarious indie rock musical about the country we live in and the leaders we choose. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson audaciously redefines America's seventh president, the man who invented the Democratic Party and doubled the size of our nation, with a raucous blend of outrageous comedy, anarchic theatricality, and an infectious 'emo rock' score."
The production has scenic design by Donyale Werle, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Justin Townsend and sound design by Bart Fasbender. Choreography is by Danny Mefford. Timbers is artistic director of the award-winning theatre company Les Freres Corbusier. His New York credits include Gutenberg! The Musical! (Drama Desk nomination – Best Director of a Musical; the Actors' Playhouse), A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant (OBIE Award; New York Theatre Workshop; two Garland Awards – Best Director and Best Musical; Powerhouse Theatre, Santa Monica), underground (BAM; International Tour), Hell House (Drama Desk nomination – Unique Theatrical Experience; St. Ann's Warehouse), Boozy ("Ten Best of 2005" – Daily News, Time Out New York). He has participated in workshops for Disney Theatricals, Playwrights Horizons, New York Stage & Film and been honored with fellowships by the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Drama League, and Sundance Theatre Lab.
Friedman composed music for The Communist Dracula Pageant, [I Am] Nobody's Lunch, Lysistrata, Marat/Sade, Idiots Karamazov and The Merchant of Venice. He wrote music and lyrics for the Civilians' This Beautiful City, [I Am] Nobody's Lunch, Gone Missing and Canard, Canard, Goose?; as well as Saved, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, In the Bubble, The Brand New Kid, God's Ear and The Blue Demon. With Steve Cosson, he co-authored the 2008 Public LAB production Paris Commune.
For tickets phone (212) 967-7555 or visit PublicTheater.
The Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street in Manhattan.
